Day 72: Cooking With Capers

Menu:
Poulet Poele A L'Estragon JC
(Roasted Whole Chicken w/Tarragon)

Sauce Piquante JC
(Brown Sauce w/Pickles and Capers)

Baked Beans ME

The next time you make a whole chicken I highly recommend that you make this sauce to go over it. It was absolutely delicious. Michael just kept eating it. I wanted to keep eating to because I am so hungry. But I want to lose some weight...which of course doesn't seem to want to lose me. The sauce was fairly easy to make especially if you have made any kind of gravy through the years. Basically, the same concept but rather than let it get thick you want it to run somewhat thin and get a clear dark brown. We had never had capers before and I haven't researched it yet to find out exactly what that is. I really can't say much about them one way or the other. I even singled one out on my fork and ate just the caper to see if I was missing something. They are rather innocuous my guess is maybe that is why you don't hear much about them these days.

I kept the meal very simple with baked beans and mashed potatoes. I was going to make muffins or zucchini bread and some lemon curd to go on them. But I am determined to lose weight. So, I'll make the muffins or bread tomorrow when I'm not feeling so adamant about this weight loss thing.

I'm a huge fan of this Sauce Piquante. I'll be making it next time we have company. As far as my research into Julie Powell, the more I read her book the more I say....bring it! I seriously doubt she made a single recipe except for maybe the potato soup. I'd challenge her any day and in her own kitchen. She did not make those recipes!

Facts:
Day 72 of 100 (I'm actually doing the cooking so I'm not doing the 365 days)

Pounds Lost: 5 lbs. (Grrrrrrrr!)
Pounds Gained: 0 lbs. (I'm right where I started from day 1)
I'm happy with life and happy with this meal...100% to all the rest!

Day 71: Ribs And Salad And Such

Menu:

Garden Salad w/Fruit

BBQ Ribs ME

Gratin de Pommes de Terre Provencal JC
(Scalloped Potatoes)

Steamed Broccoli ME

Now that I'm more than half way finished with this blog, I'm just now getting organized with it. But the real goal for me will be to see it through to completion. Rarely do I stick with something to the end. Last night before I went to bed I wrote out the menu for the week. That in itself makes it easier come time to grocery shop and cook. This morning I got up and went through my entire blog meals and checked off each recipe in my cookbooks (Vol. I and II). It would have been way smarter to check them as I went along. But I kept thinking I would remember all that I have made as I go along. Don't know why I thought I could remember something like that, I hardly ever do. Just going through and marking off what I have already made will make it easier to pick out fresh recipes. I had a difficult time last night flipping through and trying to remember which recipes I have made and which ones I have not. There is a lot to be said for being organized.

I put some country ribs in the slow cooker and then let them simmer in bbq sauce all day. I wanted to work on my Julia inspired kitchen so I didn't want a lot of my day spent cooking. I've made several potato recipes before but today I made a basic Julia scalloped potato dish. It was very creamy and we both liked it. I think I prefer cooking my potatoes just a tad longer than Julia though. The broccoli was easy. I steamed, buttered, seasoned and then put some parmesan cheese on it just before serving.

For some reason salads seem to be my specialty. I can throw together a salad effortlessly but when it comes to cooking, it takes a lot of effort for me to focus. This was a great salad for fall or actually anytime but with the apples it's nice for fall. I tore up a handful per plate of a green leafy lettuce and lightly sprayed it down with a vinaigrette dressing. Then I chopped up an apple, celery and a boiled egg and put that on the lettuce. I added green olives and just before I served it I sprinkled it with some grated cheddar cheese. This makes the most refreshing salad especially if your barbeque sauce is a spicy. Once you have the salad made you can add pecans or grapes or both!

The last four days I was hardly home and didn't get much if any Julia recipes made. The weather was amazing for November and I just had to be out there in it. Michael and I hiked, and visited a winery. I got out with friends and just had a great time and kept extremely busy and didn't overeat at all. I was sure I lost some pounds this past week. I was nearly positive that I would get up this morning and weigh myself and be real surprised at how much I had lost.

Facts:
Day 71 of 100 (365 days is nearly impossible)

Pounds Lost: 5 lbs. (Yep, 5! I didn't lose one single pound with all that hiking and careful eating.)
Pounds Gained: 0 lbs. (Right where I started and stuck there.)
Happiness Level: 100% (I have to say this cooking project has cured my empty nester blues.)
Missing My Kids: 100% (Please keep our troops in your prayers and know that because of them we can all sleep sound in our beds each night.)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (Today's meal was easy but most are not.)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (I stop when I am full, maybe I should stop sooner.)
Meal Presentation: 100% (BBQ always looks delicious.)

Day 70: Last Night's Meal

Menu:

Filets De Poisson Poches Au Vin Blanc JC
(Fish Filets Poached in White Wine)

Sauce a la Creme JC
(Fresh Cream Sauce)

Risotto JC

Last night I was so tired and glad to have the cauliflower ready to go and the leftover risotto. I did make Tuna in wine sauce. It was a mostly leftovers night. It all tasted really good. Julia's recipes have a way of tasting even better after having been in the fridge overnight. In some recipes she even recommends that you leave it go in the fridge to get the flavors going through the food. While it was all good, I was just too tired to eat it. I can't say I've ever in my life remember being too tired to eat. Not sure if that is a good thing or not. But I sure made up for it this morning. I got up and made french toast for breakfast with the rest of the upside down apple tart on the side. It was a really good because I was really hungry.

Facts:
Day 70 of 100 (365 days, 100 days are wearing me out)

Pounds Lost: 5 lbs. (What's the deal with this five pounds.)
Pounds Gained: 0 lbs. (I'm right where I started from day one.)
Happiness Level: 100% (Got some cookie off to Brandon and some fun things to Joey this week.)
Missing My Kids: 100% (Can't wait to see Rebecca!)
Cooking Enjoyment: !00% (Just had to make the tuna...leftovers are great.)
Eating Enjoyment: ?? (Sleeping was more important to me for some reason.)
Meal Presentation: 75% (Not much effort went into putting it on the plate.)

Day 69: Brussels Sprouts

Menu:

Brussels Sprouts w/cream sauce and cheese

Michael and I went out to eat tonight but I had blanched the Brussels Sprouts yesterday and they were ready to be prepared for this evening's dish. I made the dish and we will try them tomorrow with our dinner. Please keep the troops in your prayers as they protect and serve our country.

Day 64: Quail Of A Pilaf

Menu:

Quail JC
Oyster Dressing ME
Beets ME
Yams Me
Risotto-Pilaf-Pilau JC
(Braised Rice)

Tonight's dinner was so very easy to cook. I already had the plates made up from the meal yesterday so all I had to do was pull the plates out of the refrigerator. I just made the rice as a side dish and dinner was done. The braised rice was rather easy to make, comparatively. I would definitely make it again. The way Julia's recipe has you make the rice, gives it a very different flavor. She has various choices for the liquid and I chose the vermouth option. Very good.

I've become a huge fan of quail. After eating it two days in a row it has become a favorite. I've had pheasant before years ago and don't remember too much about it. I probably liked it okay enough. There aren't too many things I won't eat. I'm not really sure what the difference is between pheasant and quail. I do know quail is very small.

After reading just the first few chapters of "Julie and Julia" I can tell you she in no way made those recipes. I'm also pretty sure Julia Child did not meet with her because Julia knew full well that the book is a sham. Julia was a very clever woman all her life. I'm sure she saw right through the deception. The book should be under the fiction genre. She was broke and the groceries are very costly for this project. I'm anxious to see what the next chapter holds.

Facts:
Day 64 of 100 (365 days, well sure I'll do 365 too if I can make the whole thing up.)

Pounds Lost: 5 lbs.
Pounds Gained: 0
Happiness Level: 100%
Missing My Kids: 100% (Making cookies for Brandon this Friday)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (Love leftover night)
Eating Enjoyment: 100%
Meal Presentation: 100% (I love quail...yummy)

Day 63: The Quest For Quail

Menu:

Roasted Quail w/brown wine sauce
Glazed Sweet Yams w/Pecans
Oyster Dressing
Beets
La Tarte Des Demoiselles Tatin
(Upside-down Apple Tart)

Michael and I won't be able to celebrate Thanksgiving at home this year. Since I love to make the feast for that day, I decided today would be a Thanksgiving Day inspired dinner. Rather than make a huge turkey I opted to make quail since Julia raves about it so much. Michael nor I have ever had quail before. Let me just say it was delicious. I like it better than chicken or turkey. There isn't much to a quail but what it lacks in quantity it clearly makes up for in taste. Highly recommend that you try quail.

The glazed Yams are just a basic recipe but I added some chopped pecans to make it more festive. The yams and the oyster dressing complimented the quail nicely. I LOVE oyster dressing. This is the first time I have ever made it and I got the recipe online. It was very easy to make and the flavor was outstanding. The meal needed some color. I had blanched some cauliflower to make with the meal. But, I changed my mind and decided to go with beets to really give the plate some color. Neither of us had bread because we wanted to give up those calories in exchange for the apple tart.

When making an apple tart or pie for that matter it is really important to get baking apples. The crisper the apple the longer it will take for them to bake and the end product is generally very watery. Now we know. When Julia's recipe states "Golden Delicious" she clearly means just that! Tasted good though. In the future I will use the recommended variety that the recipe calls for. As you can see I still have issues with following instructions while I'm cooking. Michael and I are stuffed so I would say all in all it was a very fulfilling feast. And, if you make quail with the sauce I guarantee you everyone will be smacking there lips while they are eating!

I've read the Julia Child book that inspired the movie. I just got the Julie book today and can't wait to read it.

Facts:
Day 63 of 100 (365 is really not do-able)

Pounds Lost: 5 lbs. (Cause I lost 5 when I started this)
Pounds Gained: 0 lbs. (I seem to be stuck and I'm even exercising...somewhat)
Keep Brandon in your prayers as he serves his country overseas.
I just don't have the energy to do the rest of the usual blog.

Day 62: Veal Not Be Having That Again!

Menu:

Sauce Ragout JC
(Brown Sauce w/Giblets)

Cotes De Veau Aux Herbes JC
(Veal Chops Braised w/Herbs

Green Beans ME

Mashed Potatoes ME

I made this meal way more confusing that it needed to be. Halfway into the recipe I looked over at a different recipe and thought I needed a brown sauce. So, I halted the veal recipe I was making and made a the brown sauce. I continued with the veal recipe once the sauce was finished and then realized I didn't need it at all. The whole veal recipe was turning into a complete wreck in my mind. But turns out it was a good thing I did make the brown sauce. The sauce that was to go over the veal chops was thin and there wasn't much of it. I used the brown sauce w/giblets instead and was glad I did because it was delicious. Michael and I have decided that we do not care for veal. At least not the veal I bought. It must have not been a good cut or something, who knows. I know absolutely nothing about veal. I think if I ever buy it again it won't be from the grocer's, I would get a better education and perhaps a better cut of meat buying from a butcher.

The mashed potatoes are the ones I have seen my mom make hundreds of times. The green beans were just simply sauteed. I chose those two side dishes for two reasons, one Julia recommended them both. Secondly, I could easily get those both made without a recipe. It has been an eventful weekend for me and I'm ready to call it a day. I've had a busy weekend and I'm calling it a day.

Facts: Day 62 of 100 (I'm absolutely not doing 365 days)

Pounds Lost: 5
Pounds Gained: 0
Everything Else: It's all good!